Dr. Rick Hodes
rickhodes.org/
MISSION

Dr. Hodes is an American doctor who has lived and worked in Ethiopia for over 20 years. He serves as Director of JDC’s Medical Programs in Ethiopia and is a senior consultant at a Catholic mission helping sick destitutes with heart disease (rheumatic and congenital), spine disease (TB and scoliosis), and cancer.

Dr. Hodes was selected as a finalist for “CNN Heroes,” a program that highlights ordinary people for their extraordinary achievements, and was honored as ABC’s Person of the Week in 2010.

His work is the subject of the HBO documentary “Making the Crooked Straight” as well as a new book “This is a Soul: The Mission of Rick Hodes.”.

IMPACT
6
Patients
1
Countries
227
Donors
Patients at Dr. Rick Hodes

Everyone, meet superwoman. Workenesh is a 36-year-old woman from Ethiopia who has gone to the ends of the earth for her three children, despite the fact that she was diagnosed with mitral stenosis, a life-threatening heart disease that narrows the mitral valve and backs blood into the lungs, 15 years ago. For the last 10 years, Workenesh has supported her family by working as a clothing vendor in Addis Abba’s sprawling mercato. Money has been tight, but she has been able to make enough to keep her children in school. Her two sons want to be doctors when they grow up, and her daughter wants to be a teacher. They are all ranked within the top 15 students in their class. The family lives in a one-room mud house, but they make the best out their cramped living situation. Workenesh loves to cook traditional Ethiopian cuisine and regularly invites friends over to celebrate Ethiopian Orthodox holidays. People with mitral stenosis suffer from weakness, fatigue, coughing, and chest pain. Recently, Workenesh’s symptoms have worsened. She is now unable to work. She is depending on already poor family and friends for support, and their resources are running out. Here's the good news: there is a heart surgery that can repair Workenesh’s mitral valve, and it only costs $1575. Workenesh can’t imagine saving up that kind of money, but if we can raise it for her, we can make sure she gets the chance to see her children achieve their dreams. Even superheroes need a little help sometimes – let’s make it happen for Workenesh!

$1,575raised
Fully funded

Genet is a 23-year-old woman from Ethiopia who has both serious heart problems as well as retinal detachment, an eye condition that will cause blindness if left untreated. Genet was 11 when her mother died. She cannot remember her father—he died when she was very young—and she has no siblings. Life would have been hard enough as an orphaned only child, but Genet also suffered from severe mitral stenosis, a potentially life-threatening heart condition, for 13 years. Her illness forced her to quit her job as a housemaid. Paying for heart or eye surgery is absolutely impossible. Fortunately, Genet heard about Dr. Rick Hodes from a former cardiac patient in Gurage, the area of Ethiopia where she lives. She managed to save up bus fare to come to Addis Ababa, where Dr. Hodes immediately diagnosed her heart condition and sent her to India to receive treatment. In India, her heart surgeons discovered that she needs emergency retinal surgery to save her eyesight. After everything she's been through, letting Genet go blind is not an option. Staff at Dr. Hodes clinic tell us that Genet hopes to finish her education and return to work, but that she is painfully aware of the fact that these dreams depend on working eyes. Genet deserves a break, and we can make it happen. Let's do this!

$1,260raised
Fully funded

Azimera is the 27-year-old daughter of two farmers. She is passionate about her education, and has dreamed her whole life of starting her own business. Azimera dealt with labored breathing and a persistent cough for years, but her symptoms eventually got so bad that she had to drop out of school. She now works a simple job at a hotel, but struggles to make ends meet on her modest earnings. Azimera tries to remain positive despite her illness, but lately she has been so sick that she can rarely get out of bed to go to work. Recently, a local priest noticed Azimera’s painful cough and suggested that she travel to Addis Ababa to see a doctor. Immediately after seeing her, Dr. Rick Hodes diagnosed Azimera with mitral stenosis, an easily treatable but life-threatening heart condition that narrows her mitral valve and causes blood to back up into her lungs, making it difficult for her to breathe. Azimera does not have close to the $1,500 she needs to fund her heart surgery. Without treatment, it will be nearly impossible for Azimera to achieve her dream of going back to school and starting her own business. We have an opportunity to make a huge difference in Azimera’s life. Let’s raise the money she needs for heart surgery and help her get back on track toward achieving her dreams!

$1,575raised
Fully funded

Tilahun has suffered from rheumatic heart fever and mitral stenosis (a condition that prevents the heart's mitral valve from fully opening) for the last thirteen years. For as long as he can remember, Tilahun has dealt with fatigue, shortness of breath, and chest pain on a daily basis. Tilahun lives in a mud hut without electricity or running water. His parents, both farmers, have spent most of their meager incomes on his medical expenses, and their resources are running out. Tilahun is extremely bright. He ranks fourth out of sixty-five students in his class! Seriously, ALL this kid does is study, with occasional breaks to watch his favorite soccer teams play. Tilahun's dream is to continue his education and become a teacher. Recently, Tilahun's condition has become so bad that he's had to make the agonizing decision to leave school. His doctors say that if left untreated, his condition could cause heart failure. We need to raise $1,575 so Tilahun can afford to fly to India and get the treatment that can save his life. Let's do this!

$1,575raised
Fully funded

For the past eight years, Cheru has suffered from mitral stenosis, a condition that severely narrows his heart’s mitral valve and backs up blood into his lungs. He used to sell goods at the Gurage market in Ethiopia, but his weakening heart forced him to quit his job. If left untreated, Cheru’s condition could result in heart failure. Fortunately, Cheru’s condition is treatable. However, he needs to fly to India to receive a Percutaneous Transvenous Mitral Commissurotomy (a nonsurgical technique for the treatment of patients with symptomatic mitral stenosis). A Bollywood aficionado and avid Manchester United fan, Cheru is usually in good spirits and tries his best to cheer up other heart patients. Still, it is bittersweet for Cheru to see his healthy friends get married and start families: He wants to start a family of his own, but he now spends most days laying in bed. And since he’s had to spend his life savings on medical bills, he’s worried that he won’t have enough money to support a family. Cheru hopes we will be able to raise the money for his treatment in India. He can’t wait to return to his job at the market and one day, start a family. Let’s get Cheru the treatment he needs to thrive!

$1,575raised
Fully funded

Tilahun is an 18-year-old boy who has suffered from rheumatic heart fever (an inflammatory disease that can lead to heart failure) and mitral stenosis (a disorder that prevents the heart's mitral valve from opening fully) since birth. These two severe heart conditions leave Tilahun bedridden and have prevented him from ever attending school. Despite his heart problems, Tilahun is remarkably upbeat. He enjoys laughing with friends and listening to the Ethiopian pop-icon, [Teddy Afro](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxV-n9iSkEs). Because of the severity of his condition, Tilahun needs to fly to India for life-saving heart surgery. Dr. Hodes believes that after receiving treatment, Tilahun will finally be able to attend school. Tilahun wants to be an English teacher when he grows up, and his parents, along with his six brothers and sisters, hope we can raise the money needed to save his life. Let's make it happen!

$1,575raised
Fully funded